National Farmers Union calls for Border Closure

[Oldtimer]

Canadian Border Should be Closed Until BSE Problem Resolved

WASHINGTON (January 23, 2006) – National Farmers Union President, Dave Frederickson made the following statement in regard to Canada's confirmation that it has another case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE):

"I am deeply concerned by today's announcement of yet another case of BSE in Canada. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns should suspend all imports of Canadian cattle immediately, until we can be assured that Canada has its problem under control, and it can meet U.S. meat inspection standards.

"This is the fifth case of BSE discovered in Canada cattle. Last year, in a rush to judgment, the USDA re-opened the U.S. border to Canadian cattle. Today's development proves that they acted in haste, and that Canada still has problems with this disease.

"At a time when Canada is discovering additional BSE cases, reports are being made that meat inspections within Canadian plants do not meet U.S. standards and America's consumers have been denied the right to know where their food comes from via the mandatory country-of-origin labeling law. We expect USDA to put the interest of U.S. cattle producers and consumers first and immediately close the border to Canadian cattle and beef products."

 

[frenchie]

"At a time when Canada is discovering additional BSE cases, reports are being made that meat inspections within Canadian plants do not meet U.S. standards

It would be nice if someone would actually share these reports on meat inspection in Canada ;-)

 

[msscamp]

Canadian Border Should be Closed Until BSE Problem Resolved

WASHINGTON (January 23, 2006) – National Farmers Union President, Dave Frederickson made the following statement in regard to Canada's confirmation that it has another case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE):

"I am deeply concerned by today's announcement of yet another case of BSE in Canada. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns should suspend all imports of Canadian cattle immediately, until we can be assured that Canada has its problem under control, and it can meet U.S. meat inspection standards.

"This is the fifth case of BSE discovered in Canada cattle. Last year, in a rush to judgment, the USDA re-opened the U.S. border to Canadian cattle. Today's development proves that they acted in haste, and that Canada still has problems with this disease.

"At a time when Canada is discovering additional BSE cases, reports are being made that meat inspections within Canadian plants do not meet U.S. standards and America's consumers have been denied the right to know where their food comes from via the mandatory country-of-origin labeling law. We expect USDA to put the interest of U.S. cattle producers and consumers first and immediately close the border to Canadian cattle and beef products."

Maybe I'm out of line here, but I'm going to say it anyway. It looks to me like the various beef organizations of the US should be more concerned with our own detection and control of BSE instead of trying to shove it off on Canada. The USDA is woefully inadequate and, dare I say it? Incompetent. We are a fine nation to be pointing fingers at Canada, as it takes us 7 months to even verify a BSE animal, much less track or control the disease. Perhaps if we weren't so quick to blame our problems on Canada we could come up with a solution to our own problems that are independent of any other nation. You cannot tell me that we don't have BSE here and it certainly did not come from Canada. We, too, are guilty of feeding animal protein and it is still going on, despite the feed ban. THAT is the source of BSE, and Canada has nothing to do with that.

 

[Oldtimer]

Here are some more reactions to the Canadian BSE case- even the USDA spokesman are now saying this may affect the reopening of the border to OTM's..

---------------------------

January 24, 2006


BSE finding in Canada draws mixed response
By BECKY BOHRER
Associated Press

Confirmation of a new case of mad cow disease in Canada on Monday prompted calls by some U.S. cattle industry groups to halt cattle and beef trade until how the cow became infected is better understood. The U.S. secretary of agriculture said suspension of trade is unlikely.

The case, however, could affect whether the government proposes expanding such trade with Canada.

Canadian authorities on Monday confirmed the country's fourth case of mad cow disease since May 2003 - in a cow in Alberta. They said the animal, about 6 years old, reached neither the chain of food for humans nor animal feed systems.


U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, in a statement, said he anticipated no change in trade status, based on information provided by Canada's agriculture minister. But he said agency officials would monitor the situation and work with Canadian investigators.

"I am confident in the safety of beef and in the safeguards we and our approved trading partners have in place to protect our food supply," Johanns said.

The United States allows imports of Canadian beef and cattle under 30 months of age, with restrictions, U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman Ed Loyd said.

Still, some industry groups, such as the National Farmers Union, urged the suspension of beef and cattle trade until more answers about the case emerge. One concern is that the cow was born after Canada, in 1997, banned use of cattle protein in cattle feed. Mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, is believed to spread through feed with certain tissues from infected animals.

Some also question the extent of mad cow disease in the Canadian herd.

"I think this confirms some of the concerns we had all along, that they have a more severe problem in Canada than the U.S.," said Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association.

Chuck Kiker, president of R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America, believes the USDA acted too quickly to restore limited beef and cattle trade with Canada.

"We don't need to jeopardize the beef industry in the U.S. to save the Canadian industry," Kiker said. Last year his group sued to stop cattle and beef trade with Canada, because of mad cow cases there.

The United States has reported two cases of mad cow disease since December 2003, including one involving a cow from Canada.

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association and several U.S. industry trade groups, two of them representing meat packers, said the new mad cow case was not unexpected and points to the effectiveness of the safeguards and surveillance system in place.

The Canadian cattle group said that animal health officials worldwide have noted a likelihood of the detection of a "few additional" cases by that country's surveillance program.

Dr. Brian Evans, Canada's chief veterinary officer, added: "Nobody likes to find BSE, but it's important we actually look for it."

Canadian authorities said it is probable that contaminated feed is the cause of this case. An investigation is under way.

Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., said he will suggest the USDA slow the process of looking at whether to expand cattle and beef trade with Canada "until we know the situation up there." Some restrictions, including those on importation of older Canadian cattle, have been in place since May 2003.

Loyd said this case must be taken into account as officials consider whether to propose lifting restrictions.

 

[Oldtimer]

Canadian Border Should be Closed Until BSE Problem Resolved

WASHINGTON (January 23, 2006) – National Farmers Union President, Dave Frederickson made the following statement in regard to Canada's confirmation that it has another case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE):

"I am deeply concerned by today's announcement of yet another case of BSE in Canada. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns should suspend all imports of Canadian cattle immediately, until we can be assured that Canada has its problem under control, and it can meet U.S. meat inspection standards.

"This is the fifth case of BSE discovered in Canada cattle. Last year, in a rush to judgment, the USDA re-opened the U.S. border to Canadian cattle. Today's development proves that they acted in haste, and that Canada still has problems with this disease.

"At a time when Canada is discovering additional BSE cases, reports are being made that meat inspections within Canadian plants do not meet U.S. standards and America's consumers have been denied the right to know where their food comes from via the mandatory country-of-origin labeling law. We expect USDA to put the interest of U.S. cattle producers and consumers first and immediately close the border to Canadian cattle and beef products."

Maybe I'm out of line here, but I'm going to say it anyway. It looks to me like the various beef organizations of the US should be more concerned with our own detection and control of BSE instead of trying to shove it off on Canada. The USDA is woefully inadequate and, dare I say it? Incompetent. We are a fine nation to be pointing fingers at Canada, as it takes us 7 months to even verify a BSE animal, much less track or control the disease. Perhaps if we weren't so quick to blame our problems on Canada we could come up with a solution to our own problems that are independent of any other nation. You cannot tell me that we don't have BSE here and it certainly did not come from Canada. We, too, are guilty of feeding animal protein and it is still going on, despite the feed ban. THAT is the source of BSE, and Canada has nothing to do with that.

I pretty much agree with you Msscamp...We do have problems in the US that need to be solved-especially major problems with a USDA that not only doesn't seem to know its job or own rules regarding BSE (shown by previous testing errors and now by shipping boned beef to Japan), but has now been cited by the Inspector General of purposely blocking and interfering with what could be major criminal investigations regarding the Packers and Stockyards Act...

Canada gets drawn in because of their much higher prevalence of reported BSE cases which gives them a much higher BSE ratio- and with the question of opening the border to OTM's dangling in the future, which would allow cattle and beef from that higher ratio "cluster" area to enter the country which with our current feedban problems possibly infect US cattle...

We need to have the USDA and FDA plug the feedban loopholes to protect the long term safety of the US cattle herd- and we need USDA to institute the M-COOL law so that US consumers know where their beef comes from and the choice can be left to them....

This should happen anyway, but this especially takes priority status with the proposed further opening of the border.....

Without those two changes I cannot support further opening the US border......

 

[frenchie]

[

Dr. Brian Evans, Canada's chief veterinary officer, added: "Nobody likes to find BSE, but it's important we actually look for it."

That sayes it all :lol:

 

[frenchie]

Canadian Border Should be Closed Until BSE Problem Resolved

WASHINGTON (January 23, 2006) – National Farmers Union President, Dave Frederickson made the following statement in regard to Canada's confirmation that it has another case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE):

"I am deeply concerned by today's announcement of yet another case of BSE in Canada. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns should suspend all imports of Canadian cattle immediately, until we can be assured that Canada has its problem under control, and it can meet U.S. meat inspection standards.

"This is the fifth case of BSE discovered in Canada cattle. Last year, in a rush to judgment, the USDA re-opened the U.S. border to Canadian cattle. Today's development proves that they acted in haste, and that Canada still has problems with this disease.

"At a time when Canada is discovering additional BSE cases, reports are being made that meat inspections within Canadian plants do not meet U.S. standards and America's consumers have been denied the right to know where their food comes from via the mandatory country-of-origin labeling law. We expect USDA to put the interest of U.S. cattle producers and consumers first and immediately close the border to Canadian cattle and beef products."

Maybe I'm out of line here, but I'm going to say it anyway. It looks to me like the various beef organizations of the US should be more concerned with our own detection and control of BSE instead of trying to shove it off on Canada. The USDA is woefully inadequate and, dare I say it? Incompetent. We are a fine nation to be pointing fingers at Canada, as it takes us 7 months to even verify a BSE animal, much less track or control the disease. Perhaps if we weren't so quick to blame our problems on Canada we could come up with a solution to our own problems that are independent of any other nation. You cannot tell me that we don't have BSE here and it certainly did not come from Canada. We, too, are guilty of feeding animal protein and it is still going on, despite the feed ban. THAT is the source of BSE, and Canada has nothing to do with that.

Canada gets drawn in because of their much higher prevalence of reported BSE cases which gives them a much higher BSE ratio- and with the question of opening the border to OTM's dangling in the future, which would allow cattle and beef from that higher ratio "cluster" area to enter the country which with our current feedban problems possibly infect US cattle...

Its pretty hard to know ones B.S.E prevelance, when the test has been known to fail.

Speaking of clusters.. you have always maintained that b.s.e happens in clusters ..

 

[msscamp]

Canadian Border Should be Closed Until BSE Problem Resolved

WASHINGTON (January 23, 2006) – National Farmers Union President, Dave Frederickson made the following statement in regard to Canada's confirmation that it has another case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE):

"I am deeply concerned by today's announcement of yet another case of BSE in Canada. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns should suspend all imports of Canadian cattle immediately, until we can be assured that Canada has its problem under control, and it can meet U.S. meat inspection standards.

"This is the fifth case of BSE discovered in Canada cattle. Last year, in a rush to judgment, the USDA re-opened the U.S. border to Canadian cattle. Today's development proves that they acted in haste, and that Canada still has problems with this disease.

"At a time when Canada is discovering additional BSE cases, reports are being made that meat inspections within Canadian plants do not meet U.S. standards and America's consumers have been denied the right to know where their food comes from via the mandatory country-of-origin labeling law. We expect USDA to put the interest of U.S. cattle producers and consumers first and immediately close the border to Canadian cattle and beef products."

Maybe I'm out of line here, but I'm going to say it anyway. It looks to me like the various beef organizations of the US should be more concerned with our own detection and control of BSE instead of trying to shove it off on Canada. The USDA is woefully inadequate and, dare I say it? Incompetent. We are a fine nation to be pointing fingers at Canada, as it takes us 7 months to even verify a BSE animal, much less track or control the disease. Perhaps if we weren't so quick to blame our problems on Canada we could come up with a solution to our own problems that are independent of any other nation. You cannot tell me that we don't have BSE here and it certainly did not come from Canada. We, too, are guilty of feeding animal protein and it is still going on, despite the feed ban. THAT is the source of BSE, and Canada has nothing to do with that.

Canada gets drawn in because of their much higher prevalence of reported BSE cases which gives them a much higher BSE ratio- and with the question of opening the border to OTM's dangling in the future, which would allow cattle and beef from that higher ratio "cluster" area to enter the country which with our current feedban problems possibly infect US cattle...

Canada has a higher prevalence of REPORTED cases only because they are working hard to control BSE and have tracebacks in place that work - that's more than we can say. I do not believe for one moment that they are a threat to us where BSE is concerned. Thanks to the inept USDA we don't have a clue how widespread BSE is in the US. Based on the many articles, news releases and reports that I have read concerning the incompetence of the USDA, I would be willing to bet BSE is a far bigger problem that any of us could ever imagine.

 

[Beefy]

you cant have BSE without the BS.

 

[msscamp]

you cant have BSE without the BS.

Valid point.

 

[rk]

Just FYI....animal protein in general is not banned......it's ruminant meat and bone meal specifically that is banned. There are other types of animal protein that aren't related to the ban.